The Little Rock Divergence Theory
Theory Created by Bwana Tarik The Fallout games are set in a universe parallel to our own. Our two universes share a common history up until sometime during the mid-20th Century. At a point of time, known as the Divergence, our two universes take very different paths which leads the Fallout universe into nuclear inhalation in a prolonged Cold War conflict, and war for resources. The Divergence generally has been accepted as having something to do with the creation, or rather the lack thereof, the transistor. The transistor was a device invented in our timeline in 1953, and put in production by 1954. The transistor was an electronics device which proved to be hardier and energy efficient than the outdated vacuum sealed thermionic triode, which seems to still be present in Fallout’s pre-war technology. The creators of Fallout, and those who support this as the lone point of divergence speculate that without the invention of the transistor, technological progress would be ever dependent on nuclear and fossil fuels as means of power consumption. Furthermore, they speculate that not only would the lack of the transistor result in the lack of technological progress, but it is also supposed that this would also result in the stagnation of American society. In Fallout, the pre-war culture is reminiscent of American 1950s. The divergence being place in 1953 or 1954, only accounts for difference in technology in our universe. This article proposes a possible second, more major divergence in our timelines which would directly impact the course of culture, and politics in the United States. This pivotal moment is the attempt to desegregate public schools and the incident at Little Rock, Arkansas on September 24, 1957. American music was dominated largely by African-Americans throughout the 20th century. Even in the select few songs of the Fallout radio stations Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Nat King Cole, Big Maybelle, Connie Allen, the Inkspots, Roy Brown, Louis Jordan, Wynonie Harris, Bill Ward and his Dominoes continue to represent the African-American contribution to American culture. It might even be safe to say that African-Americans such as these actually led American culture, directly influencing European descendant musicians such as Elvis Presley. Coincidentally, Elvis Presley’s Jail House Rock was released the same year, 1957, as the new proposed date of divergence. I make this brief point because Jail House Rock was clearly a major source of inspiration for the gang in New Vegas called the Kings, who wore Jail House Rock uniforms. Music has always been informed by a people’s experience. It is not likely that the lack of technology, or technological development would stop a people from expressing themselves through their music. Political phenomena could. In our timeline, nine African-American students attempted to integrate Little Rock Central High School. ''Brown v. the Board of Education ''had already been decided in 1954 which in short, declared laws establishing and segregated schools were unconstitutional. However there was little to no action made to actually integrate the schools. As part of a plan devised by the NAACP, nine African-American students were registered into the all-white school, legally, and attempted to enter the school soon thereafter. They were met by a mob of protestors, aligning with these protestors who did not wish to see their way of life infringed, the governor of Arkansas Orval Faubus deployed the Arkansas National Guard. The Arkansas National Guard then barricaded the school’s entrance preventing the nine students from entering. The President of the United States Dwight Eisenhower attempted to de-escalate the situation with Governor Faubus to no avail. Essentially the situation was another battle of state sovereignty against the national authority of the president and the Supreme Court. This conflict of powers is directly related to reasons why the United States declared war on itself only a hundred years earlier. To say the least President Eisenhower was cautious how to handle the situation. The Mayor of Little Rock, Woodrow Wilson Mann, pleaded with Eisenhower to take a more direct approach and deploy troops to oppose Faubus’ barricade. Not to be intimidated by the Governors show of power, Eisenhower indeed deployed 101 Airborne of the United States Army, without its African-American troops. There was a brief standoff, but eventually the Governor peacefully stood down, and relinquished command of his troops to the President. Under the protection of 101 U.S. Airborne Division the students the nine students attended and endured a grueling year of attending school which wished to see them dead. Though this story doesn’t have the happiest of endings, it opened the door for the rest of the Civil Rights Movement, and set the precedent that the national U.S. government would generally support the notion of civil rights and integration. This situation could have turned out very differently. It is quite possible that in the Fallout universe it did. Perhaps in the Fallout universe, President Eisenhower overlooked the racial tension and did not remove the African-American servicemen from the 101 Airborne Division which escalated the situation. Or perhaps, a single solider disobeyed orders and opened fire. Either way, in his proposed timeline Little Rock Central High became the scene of a violent bloodbath. The National Guard firing from their semi-fortified position in front of the school, the U.S. Airborne returning fire, civilians torn to shreds by machine gun fire as they flee the exchange. From here, either immediately or sometime before 2077, this violent tension led to a second, albeit, smaller civil war could have swept the nation. Alternatively, in a more likely and lore friendly scenario, the U.S. government dropped the idea of forced integration, and abandoned their support of the Civil Rights Movement, fearing conflict with the states. Feeling abandoned by the government, African-American music likely would begin to reflect their desperate situation. The rise of African-American militancy in community organization would be exacerbated compared to our timeline as the need for self-defense would be a more central concern in the community. Like the Black Panther Party in our timeline, these new radical groups would be drawn towards socialist thought as an alternative to America’s status quo. With these two factors in mind, the expression of condition through music, and a more militant and socialist African-American community, it is not a stretch to think that the McCarthy era U.S. would take measures to suppress African-American influence onto the rest of society. An embargo of sorts, would be placed on African-American music and culture. Counter-culture, such as the anti-war movement would then too be stomped out by this more repressive U.S. government. Music would still be created, although it would not publicized in the same manner as our timeline. A few songs might have been able to break through the embargo, or perhaps the embargo wasn’t put in place until the early 1960s. These reasons could explain why a few of Fallout’s radio track come from the 1960s and not the 1950s. This theory assumes the divergence is in the 1950s, for similar reasons as those who support the transistor theory. However, it is further supported by in game cues which inform us of the pre-war civil rights which were achieved. In the Fallout 3 DLC, “Operation Anchorage”, simulates the U.S. reclamation of Alaska from Chinese forces in 2077. During the battle the player can encounter African-American U.S. troops, such as field medic Adrienn Adami, and Lieutenant Thomas Morgan. In our timeline, and most likely the Fallout timeline as well, President Harry S. Truman signed Executive Order 9981 in 1948 to desegregate the U.S. armed forces. Though Truman issued the order, it was Eisenhower’s administration which enforced the integration of the armed forces and facilities during the Korean War. Interestingly, this order was further reinforced by Directive 5120.36 issued by Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, a probable ancestor of Mojave Brotherhood of Steel Elder, Nolan McNamara. Robert S. McNamara issued this directive on July 26, 1963 in our timeline. The incident at Little Tock Central High would not have affected McNamara decision to issue the directive as it was issued to address logistic issues rather than moral issues. Directive 5120.36 encouraged military commanders to employ their financial resources against facilities used by soldiers or their families that discriminated based upon sex or race. A law passed during the Civil Rights Movement that doesn’t appear to be present in the pre-war Fallout universe is The Fair Housing Act of 1968. This act led to the prosecution of landowners who outright refused to sell or rent housing to African-Americans. In the opening scene of Fallout 4, as the player character flees their suburban home outside of Boston, one might notice the lack of diversity in the neighborhood. All of the named characters from this neighborhood are of European descent. The lack of diversity in the neighborhood may be due to the lack of protection garnished by the Act of 1968 to allow people of different ethnic groups to move into the neighborhood of Sanctuary Hills. The incident at Little Rock Central High would have a rippling effect on the timeline and would undoubtedly kill the Civil Rights Movement. The increase in popularity of radical militant organization within the African-American community, could also explain the McCarthy attitude persisting for decades after the 1950s. Although the Fallout Civil Rights Movement may have not made major strides in achieving racial equality in America, the nuclear holocaust did. In this utter destruction of human civilization all became equals, as victims of nuclear war, then as survivors in this new world. Though the United States may have discouraged socialist thought, it appears that Karl Marx was someone right; industrialization did lead to the collapse of society, and an egalitarian revolution in the waste. But instead of a socialist utopia, the survivors would find themselves in an egalitarian dystopia. The Enclave, the antagonist of many Fallout games represent the old world, and the establishment of social hierarchy. Perhaps this is what Fallout is really about; the Marxist theory in practice, an alternate history without the Civil Rights Movement, and the suppression of cultural expression.